Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a latch and more particularly, a vehicle latch.
In some applications, latches are required to perform numerous operations within limited confines of an application area of the item they are installed in.
Certain vehicles are equipped with a rear vehicle storage compartment, commonly known as a trunk. The trunk is closed by a deck lid that is hinged to the vehicle body and swings open to provide access to the storage compartment. Similarly, other vehicles are equipped with a lift gate that allows access to the rear of the vehicle through a gate that is hinged at or near the roof line of a vehicle and opens upward. Vehicles may also have door sliding or otherwise that move between an opened and closed position. Each of the deck lid, lift gate or door can be thought of as a movable panel that allows access to an interior of the vehicle or vehicle compartment. Compartment latches, enable each of these types of panels to be secured and closed.
When it is desired to open these panels, it is known to use a remote unlatch mechanism that releases a detent lever from engagement with a fork bolt, allowing a striker pin to be removed from the catch (or throat) of the fork bolt. Advantageously, the deck lid, lift gate or door will release from the striker pin and bias away from the striker due to shocks, springs, compressed sealing materials, motors etc. incorporated in or around these panels. However, when the panel does not bias away from the opening either immediately or shortly after actuation of the unlatching mechanism and the remote unlatching mechanism that causes the detent lever to be released from engagement with the fork bolt is de-energized. The detent lever may be capable of reengaging the fork bolt prior to the panel being opened and thus the panel cannot be opened even though the unlatching mechanism has been activated. When the panel does not automatically bias open upon release of the detent lever from the fork bolt, it would be advantageous to maintain the detent lever in a released position until such time as the panel can be manually opened.
Thus, it is also desirable to provide an apparatus, or feature or method of operation that prevents the latch from operating or being positioned in a configuration that is inconsistent with an intended operation of the latch.